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“Afrotopías”: identidad africana ante el desafío de la violencia. Consideraciones desde la ética cordial y la crítica política de la resistencia.
No full textLas dinámicas sociales africanas están ganando nuevos impulsos a medida que la sociedad civil ensancha sus horizontes gracias a la confluencia de varios factores: el despertar tardío de muchos africanos, especialmente jóvenes, de la gran noche del colonialismo; los mecanismos de la globalización que impregnan cada vez más los espacios africanos con contenidos disruptivos; la crisis política en todo el continente de las narrativas de las independencias secuestradas por élites locales; la recuperación simbólica identitaria de los recursos religiosos, étnicos y culturales; el progresivo aumento de referentes intelectuales y la cada vez más capaz, sólida e influyente academia africana. Todo ello está poniendo al continente africano en un proceso desafiante de redefinición, tomada de conciencia y proyección constructiva del futuro. En las raíces autóctonas se encuentran elementos preciosos para que esta tarea pueda llevarse a cabo poniendo en primer lugar el reconocimiento de las personas y los pueblos de África, leyendo la experiencia y la tradición de occidente para aprender de ella y superarla en humanidad, acogiendo en esta construcción de lo propio los esfuerzos del Sur Global, de la subalternidad y del reto permanente de una medida de humanidad que esté a la altura de nuestro tiempo convulso. Esta investigación propone bases morales para construir una identidad africana decolonial desde la filosofía moral y la hermenéutica crítica: desde el lugar de más abajo, desde las víctimas, desde la cordialidad ubuntuista, desde la resistencia política a la sumisión y a las nuevas esclavitudes, desde la creatividad que nace de la aceptación humilde e incondicional de quien se es, de la historia vivida y la herencia recibida, pero en camino hacia una plenitud en humanidad capaz de hablar en el mundo global en el que se realizan los proyectos vitales. El análisis crítico de la violencia y el pluralismo radical aportan las claves más originales de esta investigación.The way in which Africa currently defines itself has changed substantially since the early years of independence. African societies are consolidating thanks to a greater awareness of citizenship brought about by a self-inscription of identity that is gradually overcoming the ideological resources, obstacles of a psychosocial nature, imposed on the structures built by colonial violence. The mechanisms of globalisation are increasingly permeating African spaces with disruptive content, contributing to a political crisis that is permeating the entire continent. The narratives of independence hijacked by local elites are being called into question, while a symbolic recovery of identity is taking place based on religious, ethnic and cultural resources. At the same time, there is an increase in intellectual role models and an increasingly capable, solid and influential African academia. This research project is part of this challenging effort of redefinition, of raising awareness and of constructive projection of the future by the Global South. It aims to take advantage of precious elements of indigenous African roots in dialogue with Western perspectives, to offer light in this task, putting the recognition of the people and the peoples of Africa first. From the perspective of a measure of humanity that is equal to our turbulent times, moral bases are proposed for constructing a decolonial African identity based on moral philosophy and critical hermeneutics: the lowest place, the perspective of the victims, ubuntuist cordiality, political resistance to submission and to the new forms of slavery, creativity born of the humble and unconditional acceptance of who one is, one's and the inheritance received, are elements that are brought into play in the search for a fulfilment in humanity that can speak in the global world in which life projects are realised. The critical analysis of the dimensions of violence and radical pluralism provide the most original keys.Programa de Doctorat en Ètica i Democràci
Physical Interaction and Viewpoint Optimization in Active Video Games: A User Experience and f-Divergence-Based Approach
No full textCompendi d'articles, Doctorat internacionalThe incorporation of active technologies into video games has fostered the development of new forms of physical interaction, particularly in controlled environments such as treadmills. This thesis analyzes and proposes improvements to the user experience in running applications through exergames, without requiring additional hardware. First, different running applications that combine playful and athletic elements are compared, revealing that video games with narrative structures and interactive incentives elicit higher levels of immersion, competence, and flow than traditional simulators. Subsequently, the gameplay experience is evaluated when using the same exergame on the floor and on a treadmill. The results indicate that treadmill use increases the level of challenge and concentration while maintaining a positive experience in both conditions. Finally, an automatic model for viewpoint selection in three-dimensional environments is introduced, based on divergences from information theory. This approach enhances scene visibility and composition by dynamically and adaptively highlighting key elements. The results of this research contribute new strategies for optimizing both interaction and visualization in active video games, with potential applications in health, physical training, and extended reality.Programa de Doctorat en Informàtic
Recent Trends and Challenges on the Non-Targeted Analysis and Risk Assessment of Migrant Non-Intentionally Added Substances from Plastic Food Contact Materials
No full textNon-intentionally added substances (NIAS) in plastic food contact materials represent a critical undercharacterized chemical safety concern, caused by their inherent diversity, potential toxicity, and regulatory challenges. This review synthesizes recent advances and persistent gaps in NIAS analysis, with a primary focus on analytical workflows for non-targeted analysis, alongside a consideration of risk assessment and toxicological prioritization frameworks. Conventional plastics (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate) as well as emerging materials (e.g., bioplastics and recycled polymers) exhibit different NIAS profiles, including oligomers, degradation products, additives, and contaminants, requiring specific approaches for migration testing, extraction, and detection. Advanced techniques, such as ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography or two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry, have enabled non-targeted analysis approaches. However, the field remains constrained by spectral library gaps, limited reference standards, and inconsistent data processing protocols, resulting in heavy reliance on tentative identifications. Risk assessment procedures mainly employ the Threshold of Toxicological Concern and classification by Cramer’s rules. Nevertheless, addressing genotoxicity, mixture effects, and novel hazards from recycled or bio-based polymers remains challenging with these approaches. Future priorities and efforts may include expanding spectral databases, harmonizing analytical protocols, and integrating in vitro bioassays with computational toxicology to refine hazard characterization
Separation of mixed couples: risk factors, personality assessment, and child custody
No full textLasparejas mixtas o interculturales son aquellas que presentan diferentes características deetnia, lenguaje, y religión. La alta tasa de separaciones de estas parejas influye en problemas posteriores: conductas desadaptativas, sustracción internacional, entre otros (Domínguez-Álvarez, 2014; Yampolsky et al., 2021). Por ello, se realizó un análisis de las características sociodemográficas, judiciales y de personalidad de las familias mixtas en procesos de separación, en comparación con parejas no mixtas, y así detectar factores de riesgo que mejoren la evaluación internacional de custodia de menores.Participaron en el estudio 25 parejas mixtas y 30 parejas no mixtas en proceso de separación en el Juzgado de Familia de una provincia española. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron entrevista semiestructurada, test CUIDA y test Millon III. Los análisis mostraron que las parejas mixtas contaban con más expedientes de violencia de género, más procedimientos judiciales, menor apoyo familiar y mayor número de hijos anteriores. En factores de personalidad, los hombres de parejas mixtas presentaban menor capacidad para establecer vínculos, más deseabilidad social y más agresividad. Estas características diferenciales constituyen factores de riesgo y vulnerabilidad. Identificarlas permite mejorar la evaluación de custodia, velar por el interés superior del menor y prevenir sufrimiento a estas familias.Mixed or intercultural couples are those who present characteristics of different ethnicity, language, and religion. The high rate of separation of these couples influences subsequent problems: maladaptive behavior, international suspension, among others (Domínguez-Álvarez, 2014; Yampolsky et al., 2021).Therefore, an analysis was carried out of the sociodemographic, judicial and personality characteristics of mixed families in separation processes, in comparison with non-mixed couples, with the aim of detecting risk factors thatimprove the international assessment of child custody. For this, 25 mixed couples and 30 no-mixed couples participated in the studio, in the separation process. The instruments used were a semi-structured interview, the CUIDA test and the Millon test. Theanalysis showed that mixed couples had more records of gender violence, more legal proceedings, less family support, and a greater number of previous children. At the level of personality, men from mixed couples had less ability to establish bonds, more social desirability, and more aggressiveness. These differential characteristics constitute risk factors and vulnerability factors. Identifying them allows improving the evaluation of international custody, ensuring the best interests of the minor and preventing suffering to these families
Physical activity induced functional and structural changes in the Hippocampus and the Reward System
No full textCompendi d'articles, Doctorat internacionalThis thesis explores the effects of physical activity (PA) on the brain of young adults through four empirical studies that examine both structural and functional changes associated with regular and acute exercise. By combining accelerometry, self-reports, cognitive testing, and neuroimaging techniques, the relationship between PA, mood, cognition, and individual variables such as personality and physical fitness is investigated. The results show that regions such as the hippocampus and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) are particularly sensitive to activity and sedentary levels, and that this relationship is modulated by individual differences. Furthermore, immediate effects of acute exercise on medial temporal lobe connectivity are observed, along with a reduction in hippocampal volume after only 14 days of inactivity. Taken together, these findings highlight the high brain plasticity in young adults and the relevance of regular PA for neurocognitive health.Programa de Doctorat en Psicologi
Growth arrest is a DNA damage protection strategy in Arabidopsis
No full textWhen exposed to stress, plants reduce growth while activating defense mechanisms—a behaviour proposed to help reallocate resources and meet the energy demands required for survival. Here, we have challenged this view by mutating the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor SMR1 to reverse the growth arrest imposed by high DELLA levels. These plants continue growing under limited water availability but maintain the same oxidative stress tolerance and survival rates as the parental line that halted growth. However, shoot and root meristematic cells that keep dividing under drought or genotoxic stress accumulate DNA damage, frequently leading to cell death. Since the DNA lesions are observed in the apical stem cells that give rise to all plant organs, including flowers, we propose that systemic growth arrest acts as a defense strategy that plants employ not only to maximize individual fitness, but also to ensure the accurate transmission of genetic information to their progeny
Saberes campesinos que forjan territorios de paz en medio del colapso parcial del estado en Colombia. Memoria colectiva en las Veredas Hinche Alto e Hinche Bajo del Municipio de La Palma – Cundinamarca a través de las voces de campesinas y campesinos que tejen paz
No full textCompendi d'articles, Doctorat internacionalEl estudio se focaliza en la experiencia de una comunidad campesina que sobrevive y resiste a la guerra en Colombia a partir de sus saberes forjando territorios de paz en medio del colapso parcial del Estado. Los resultados giran en torno a problematizar la concepción de paz, la existencia de campemicidio, el colapso parcial del estado en Colombia como una realidad, los revestimientos de la colonia, la guerra silenciosa e invisible que aún existe en Colombia, situar la investigación desde lugares hegemónicos, el lugar de las mujeres en los procesos de construcción de paz, la pervivencia de los movimientos campesindios, la pregunta por si hay salida hacia la paz en Colombia, la memoria colectiva y la resistencia como actos ético políticos, el reconocimiento de los saberes campesinos como ejes fundamentales para la paz y el manifiesto a manera de denuncia ante acciones que amenazan la vida del campo y configuran el campemicidio.This doctoral thesis recovers peasant knowledge that forges territories of peace in the Hinche Alto and Hinche Bajo villages of the municipality of La Palma, Cundinamarca, amidst the partial collapse of the State in Colombia. This is done through a process of collective memory with peasants. Epistemologically, it is circumscribed within the critical social paradigm based on the postulates of interculturality and decoloniality through the method of systematization of experiences. The fieldwork records were analyzed using the qualitative analysis software Atlas Ti. The thesis is made up of six chapters: 1. Reflections on the methodological journey from the systematization of experiences in the Hinche Alto and Hinche Bajo villages of the municipality of La Palma, Cundinamarca, Colombia, as a process of critical interpretive research; 2. Hinche: territory of peace, center of peasant knowledge. Walking the utopia; 3. Collective memory, resistance, and peasant knowledge. Construction of territories of peace in Hinche (Cundinamarca - Colombia), 4. Campemicide in Colombia from which indigenous peasant movements emerge to build territories of peace, 5. Peasant knowledge in action for everyday peace, and, 6. Peasant women weaving peace in Colombia.Programa de Doctorat en Estudis Internacionals de Pau, Conflictes i Desenvolupamen
La receptividad de la traducción al italiano de autores latinoamericanos en el público juvenil hispanófono: estudio de la Scuola Italiana di Montevideo
No full textEsta investigación doctoral analiza cómo estudiantes hispanohablantes de la Scuola Italiana di Montevideo reciben la literatura latinoamericana traducida al italiano. A partir de un estudio de caso, se examinan los factores que inciden en esta receptividad, como el origen del autor, las decisiones docentes y el marco institucional. Se estudian antologías escolares, enfoques didácticos empleados (como el CLIL y la traducción pedagógica) y trayectorias del profesorado. La tesis propone el concepto de “literatura traducida de reinserción”, una categoría original para pensar textos que, mediante la traducción, regresan al contexto donde fueron producidos, a través de una lengua de estudio. Los resultados muestran que los estudiantes valoran más los textos cuando se vinculan con sus intereses y experiencias, y que la nacionalidad del autor tiene un peso menor. Aunque el entorno normativo favorece el uso de literatura traducida, su integración didáctica no siempre se explicita. El trabajo combina análisis documental, entrevistas y encuestas a estudiantes.This doctoral research analyzes how Spanish-speaking students at the Scuola Italiana di Montevideo engage with Latin American literature translated into Italian. Using a case study approach, it examines the factors influencing this reception, such as the author’s origin, teachers’ decisions, and the institutional framework. The study explores school anthologies, teaching approaches employed (such as CLIL and pedagogical translation), and teachers’ trajectories. The dissertation introduces the concept of “reinsertion translated literature,” an original category for considering texts that, through translation, return to the context in which they were produced, via a study language. The findings show that students value texts more when they are connected to their interests and experiences, and that the author’s nationality carries less weight. Although the regulatory framework supports the use of translated literature, its didactic integration is not always made explicit. The research combines documentary analysis, interviews, and student surveys.Programa de Doctorat en Llengües Aplicades, Literatura i Traducci
Latency-Critical Quantized Inference With Transformer Decoders on ARM and RISC-V CPUs
No full textLarge language models are transforming industries but face challenges due to their high computational and energy demands. Model compression via quantization mitigates these barriers by reducing the bit precision of parameters and arithmetic operations, enabling deployment on resource-constrained devices like smartphones and edge platforms. This article focuses on quantization applied to transformer decoders, which are critical for tasks, such as text generation and conversational artificial intelligence. Unlike encoders, decoders are constrained by memory due to their sequential processing nature and low arithmetic intensity. We propose optimizations targeting inference on low-power CPUs, emphasizing efficient linear layers with quantized data/arithmetic and cache optimization. Using two representative ARM and RISC-V platforms, we present optimized mixed-precision implementations of the matrix multiplication that outperform the instance of that computational kernel in popular libraries, such as basic linear algebra subprograms infrastructure software, XNNPACK and ARMCL. This work thus advances the understanding of the impact of quantization on transformer decoder efficiency, energy consumption and precision in edge environments
Homogenous catalysis by molybdenum sulfide clusters and the study of their sulfur-centered mechanisms
No full textDoctorat internacionalThe present doctoral thesis is included within the homogenous catalysis field. A comprehensive study has been conducted on the catalytic activity of molybdenum sulfide cluster compounds coordinated with nitrogen-donor ligands. First, the synthesis of a novel compound containing the ethylenediamine ligand was optimized and characterized using classical spectrometric and spectroscopic techniques. Additionally, the crystalline structure of this complex was determined through single-crystal analysis using electron diffraction techniques. The catalytic activity of molybdenum clusters with the Mo3S4 unit was investigated in C–C coupling reactions for the production of esters, sulfoxide hydrogenation to obtain sulfides, and the methanolysis of hydrosilanes for the synthesis of methoxysilanes and hydrogen. Kinetic studies and control experiments demonstrated that these transformations occur via sulfur atoms, enabling an in-depth investigation of the reaction mechanisms. Finally, using DFT techniques, the reaction mechanisms for sulfoxide hydrogenation and methanolysis were elucidated based on experimental evidence obtained.Programa de Doctorat en Cièncie